DFW’s long established and consistent population growth defines the region and drives all property types

The DFW region is well known for many things – one of them is “growth”. DFW’s population growth has remained steady and is among the strongest in the US. For the Metroplex, population gains have been consistent over time – regardless of economic slowdowns.

In 1970, DFW’s population stood at a mere 2.4 million. This more than doubled to 5.2 million by 2000, despite 3 national recessions and the Dot-com bubble burst and Telecoms crash in the early 2000s. That translated into 2.6% annual growth over 30 years.

In the last cycle, DFW continued to expand. Today, the Census and the region’s council of governments estimate that DFW population stands at 8.3 million. That means DFW added 1.9 million people since 2010 – a 30% increase. That is 385 people per day. While births are a part of this, the biggest diver is in-migration, which translates into increased economic activity and demand for commercial real estate.

The published forecast is for population to hit 9.3 million by 2030. We can debate the future number, but the main point is that growth is in DFW’s DNA, which has continued to perform despite past economics shifts. This is due to DFW’s resilient and extremely diverse economy. For the region, our recent growth has supported our economic stability and is the main driver for all property types, especially single and multifamily housing, industrial, and retail, as well as office even as that use undergoes a unique sector shift nationally.

Driven by this economic engine, like the past, DFW’s outlook appears to be brighter than most other major markets.